Agreement was also reached on the urgent need to develop an adequate skills base that seeks to promote economic growth and development in South Africa, his office said on Monday.

"The department and the Setas developed and agreed on a joint declaration that fully endorses the minister's new vision for the post-school landscape and overall transformation of the Setas," it said.

The declaration stated: "The forum fully endorses the minister's new vision. We reiterate that we will cooperate with the minister and continue to engage him on all transformation matters, including the proposed changes to the Seta landscape."

The forum further reaffirmed that whatever differences might arise from time to time, the legal route to resolve these was a hindrance to progress.

Forum chairperson Joel Dikgole said the forum "fully support(s) the minister's transformation processes. We are fully aware that the Seta sector needs urgent transformation to cope with critical shortages of skills and resource training of our people."

He reiterated the forum's support for the appointment of independent chairs as proposed by Nzimande.

Furthermore, the forum welcomed the opportunity to engage with the department on skills development, and distanced itself from the ongoing case at the Labour Court between the department and the Services Seta, he said.